Moles are congenital or acquired formations on the skin. In medicine, they are called nevi. If you notice their presence, it is not necessary to sound the alarm. It is enough just once a year to go to check moles in a medical facility. The specialist will be able to notice any changes and diagnose the disease, if any. How are moles checked? How is cancer diagnosed? We will talk about this in our article.
Causes for concern
Moles are present on the body of every person, while they can be large and small, flat and convex, smooth and granular, dark and light. It is not required to examine each spot very carefully and scrupulously, but it is necessary to monitor whether the nevus changes over time. Particular attention is paid to those spots that are located in the groin area and under the chest.
But why monitor the condition of your mole? The fact is that even the smallest points on the body under the influence of ultraviolet rays or otherfactors can develop into a malignant tumor. That is why those people who have lighter skin, and there are a lot of nevi on the body, should avoid direct sunlight, as well as tanning in a solarium. In addition, a simple injury to a birthmark can lead to serious consequences. Before answering the question of how moles are checked for a malignant form, it is necessary to understand their main varieties.
Types of birthmarks
The main types of moles include:
- Vascular. They appear due to too rapid growth of skin capillaries.
- Pigmented. Appear due to the fact that the melanin pigment in the body is produced too much.
Another classification:
- Inborn. With them, the baby is born.
- Acquired spots that depend on the patient's genetics, skin type, and sun exposure.
In addition, there are nevi, with their entire plane located on the skin, and hanging, that is, on a leg.
How moles are checked
There is a simple, very interesting method that allows you to check your nevus for a malignant form. You only need to memorize one word "chord", in which each letter has its own meaning.
- "A" stands for asymmetry. If your nevus is uneven, asymmetric, then this may be a sign of a malignant form of education.
- "K" means edge. If a relativespots are torn and uneven borders, then this is also a sign of malignancy.
- Another "K" is a bleeding mole.
- "O" in this case means the color of the formation. If the nevus changes shade, blotches or stripes of different colors have formed on it, then this is a cause for concern.
- "P" - the size of the mole. Large neoplasms have more prerequisites for malignant transformation.
- "D" means dynamic. If the stain has increased in size, cracks or crusts have appeared, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Worrying symptoms
We continue to consider how moles are checked for a malignant form. If the stain began to regenerate, change color, become lighter or darker, then this is a very alarming symptom. In addition, if a mole has increased by 5 mm in diameter in a couple of months, then this indicates a malignant transformation.
If severe pain occurs during a birthmark injury, this is also a serious symptom. Despite all the dangerous symptoms described above, it should be noted that only a qualified specialist is able to check a mole for oncology. In no case should you engage in self-diagnosis at home and carry out self-treatment.
Precautions
In case of injury to the formation, the doctor may prescribe the removal of the mole to the patient. You can do this whenlaser, liquid nitrogen, or simple surgery. As a rule, after such a manipulation, the material is sent to the laboratory for histological examination. This is the most accurate diagnostic method.
Where to check a mole for oncology? Only in the hospital. As a rule, these are cancer centers where the birthmark was removed. It should be said that histology can be carried out only if the doctor has biological material. When burning a mole with a laser or liquid nitrogen, it usually does not remain.
You should know that the development of skin cancer can be prevented by avoiding direct sunlight. If you go to the beach, it is best to do it in the morning and also in the evening after 4 o'clock. You need to use sunscreen. Also bring hats and sunglasses. Cotton should be worn whenever possible in the summer. Despite the fact that the factor of heredity in this case is of great importance, the likelihood of developing cancer can be reduced if you follow these simple tips.
Diagnosis
If you want to check your skin for oncology, then you need to carry out dermatoscopy. Which doctor checks moles? As a rule, this is done by a dermatologist. During the diagnosis, he examines the skin through a special magnifying glass, after which he fixes the size and changes. If this examination is not enough, then the specialist prescribes tests that the patient must pass. If they are revealeddeviations from the norm, then the neoplasms are removed by simple surgery or with the help of cryotherapy.
Many people also wonder where moles can be checked. Currently, such procedures are carried out in almost all public hospitals.
Dermatoscopy is performed if there are several moles on the body located on fair skin. This procedure is also carried out if the patient damaged his neoplasm, if the number of growths began to increase sharply, or if there were unpleasant sensations in the place where the nevus is located.
Other research methods
There are many hospitals that check moles. In Moscow, as well as in other large cities of Russia, there are a large number of paid clinics dealing with oncological issues. If, after visiting such an institution, a specialist diagnosed a malignant disease, then it is necessary to identify its form, as well as to prevent rapid spread. To do this, a chest x-ray is taken, liver function is checked, and a biochemical blood test is taken.
Self-examination - possible or not
We figured out where to check a mole for a child and an adult. However, you should pay attention to the fact that the procedure can be carried out at home. However, after it, it is still necessary to come to the dermatologist to check the mole to make sure that there is or is no malignant form.
Birthmark capable ofdegenerate into a cancerous formation, is detected by the signs that were described above. You can follow its dynamics on your own, but you can’t do home treatment.
Which specialists examine
When symptoms of a malignant mole appear or if melanoma is suspected, it is necessary to seek the help of a specialist. Above, we answered that most often with this problem people turn to a dermatologist. If your clinic has a dermato-oncologist, it is best to contact him. This is a doctor who specializes specifically in skin cancer. In most cases, such specialists are received in large oncology centers. Unfortunately, they are not available in all localities. If you live in a metropolis, then you can check a mole for a child or yourself with a dermato-oncologist.
Some clinics or specialized institutions have general oncologists. Most often, such hospitals also have their own histological laboratories, so the study of the biomaterial will be carried out right on the spot.
As for dermatologists, they do not specialize in melanoma, but they know everything about various skin diseases. This doctor is able to accurately distinguish a harmless nevus from a malignant melanoma, and then give the patient further recommendations.
Addresses of clinics in the capital
Where to check moles in Moscow? Top Clinics:
Russian Cancer Research Center. N. N. Blokhin: Kashirskoe shosse, 23
- Yusupovskaya hospital: Nagornaya street, 17, bldg. 6.
- European clinic: Dukhovskoy lane, 22 B.
- Clinic of oncoimmunology and cytokine therapy: st. Builders, d. 7, bldg. 1.
- Moscow Scientific Research Institute of Oncology (MNIOI) them. P. A. Herzen: 2nd Botkinsky proezd, 3.
Risk factors
There are several factors that increase the likelihood of a harmless mole turning into melanoma. These should include:
- Too pale skin.
- The areas of the skin on which the mole is located are not protected from ultraviolet radiation (hands, face).
- Relatives have or have ever had melanomas.
- Too many moles on the patient's body.
- Old age.
- Male.
Possible consequences
If you do not consult a doctor when the first signs of malignant melanoma appear, this can provoke very unpleasant consequences, even death. Some consider skin cancer not very dangerous, as they are sure that it is never too late to cut out melanoma. However, this disease is very insidious. It almost always gives metastases, that is, cancer can begin in absolutely any place in the body. This is what melanomas are dangerous for.
If you want to get reliable results, you must also be examined by an immunologist, endocrinologist and other narrowspecialists. Damage to the skin can indicate the development of diabetes. If the neoplasm is located near the eye, then in this case an ophthalmologist will help you. An immunologist determines how a person's immunity works. If strong enough, it can inhibit the growth of cancer cells for a while.
To avoid various kinds of complications, it is necessary to carry out prevention. To do this, experts recommend removing moles that rise above the skin, as well as those that change color or are damaged.
Patient opinions
Reviews of patients say that they can be left untouched if they do not change over time and do not cause any problems. Both doctors and patients advise to remove formations if the mole suddenly began to change its shape, color, size. You also need to get rid of pigmented formations that are located in places on the body where they are constantly injured or create psychological discomfort.
In beauty salons, nevi are simply removed, but they are not checked for histology. To conduct such a study, you need to contact a medical institution. In reviews, people write that the procedure for removing a mole is absolutely painless.
